There’s a new salsa brand in Kawartha Lakes that will leave a good taste in your mouth and a good feeling in your heart.
Kawartha Lakes Food Source has launched its own brand of salsa, with proceeds from its sale helping to offset operating expenses such as rent for the non-profit organization, which procures and distributes food to 35 local agencies and delivers food literacy programs.
“Our hope is that this social enterprise will help Kawartha Lakes Food Source be financially resilient in the midst of any future economic uncertainty,” says Heather Kirby, the organization’s executive director.
“The project will be an ongoing self-sustaining source of revenue that complements our regular fundraising efforts,” Kirby adds.
The idea to produce a food product began with an online poll in early 2020, when Kawartha Lakes Food Source asked members of the community what type of food product produced by the organization they would be most interested in purchasing. Move than 70 per cent of respondents voted for salsa.
Since then, the organization has been working on recipe development, marketing assessments, and regulatory compliance. The final salsa recipe was developed in collaboration with George Brown College’s Food Innovation and Research Studio, with the salsa produced by Kawartha Lakes Food Source staff and volunteers alongside employees of the Ontario Agri-Food Venture Centre.
The mild, runny salsa has seven ingredients (crushed tomatoes, onion, garlic, jalapeno, salt, citric acid, and spices) and includes locally sourced ingredients.
To date, Kawartha Lakes Food Source has produced 3,000 jars of salsa, priced at $4.99, which will be available at selected retail locations beginning Thursday (May 20).
Retail locations will include Reid’s Valu-Mart (422 Russell St. W., Lindsay), Farmers Butcher Shop (3 Commerce Place, Lindsay), Mariposa Woolen Mill (1275 Highway 7, Oakwood), Fresh FueLL (172 Angeline St. N., Lindsay), and Burns Bulk Food (118 Kent St. W., Lindsay).
Kawartha Lakes Food Source will also be partnering with Mariposa Woolen Mill’s Kawartha Box to have the salsa included in an upcoming bundle, and the salsa will also be available for sale at assorted events including local farmers’ markets.
An initial grant for the salsa project was provided through the investment readiness program of the Community Foundations of Canada.
For more information, visit kawarthalakesfoodsource.com/salsa.
